俄亥俄州立大学

Food, agricultural and biological engineers strive to serve society and to improve our environment. They identify and solve engineering problems related to renewable energy; environmental issues; producing safe, healthy, nutritional-value-added food products; and other areas where natural earth systems can be engineered to be more productive for humanity, yet protected for a sustained and secure future.

Specializations

Food engineering involves the production, processing, packaging, safety and/or transportation of the world’s food supply. With over 15,000 registered food processing and equipment companies in the United States, the food industry is one of the largest industries in the world. Food engineers design sustainable and environmentally responsible food processes for manufacturing safe, tasty, healthy, convenient food products.

Students in the agricultural engineering program allow students to focus on soil and water, structures and facilities, or machinery systems. The program prepares students for careers in industries and agencies providing engineering inputs and services to agricultural production. Though the curriculum focuses on agriculture-related themes, agricultural engineering graduates are prepared for and often pursue careers in electrical, mechanical and civil engineering.

Biological engineering involves the engineering of living systems and the application of engineering principles to real world problems. Ohio State’s biological engineering program combines the knowledge of biology, microbiology, molecular genetics and biochemistry with hands-on work with plants, animals, humans, cells in tissue culture and microorganisms. Graduates of this program have pursued graduate and professional degrees in a multitude of areas, including biomedical engineering, veterinary medicine, human medicine, dentistry and optometry.

Ecological engineering focuses on the design and restoration of natural ecosystems for societal and environmental benefits. Students who study ecological engineering may choose to focus on the design and restoration of natural ecosystems including streams, wetlands and coastal systems. Others will focus their studies on water quality and environmental contamination issues through the design, development and management of ecosystems.

Possible careers

Graduates with an interest in the mechanical aspects of agricultural engineering may find careers manufacturing equipment for farming, forestry, construction, transportation, global positioning, homeland security, and lawn, garden and recreational markets. Graduates interested in engineering solutions for environmental issues in agriculture may find careers at environmental agencies, consulting firms, and manufacturers and suppliers of drainage and irrigation equipment. Graduates of the food engineering specialization use their skills to design sustainable and environmentally responsible food processes for manufacturing safe, tasty, healthy, convenient food products.

Graduates of the biological engineering specialization have opportunities for careers in biotechnology, bio-energy, bio-products, biomedical applications, biochemical processing, pharmaceuticals and bio-instrumentation. These students may also choose to prepare themselves for admission to either veterinary or medical school. The department has a strong positive record of admissions to such professional schools.

Graduates of the ecological engineering specialization will have career opportunities designing and restoring natural ecosystems like streams, wetlands and coastal systems. Graduates may work for the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States Department of Agriculture, the Army Corps of Engineers and environmental consulting firms.